Toy aeroplane.



1?. REISS.

TOY AEROPLANB.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1014.

1 1 1 6, 1 22. Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES l/VVEA/TOR ATTORNEYS Mil P. REISS.

TOY AEROPLANE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1014.

E T E ,3 A a N 3H 5% R .S V 0 V W U 0 N an M Dunn t D M w W Dnm n WITNESSES fl WK BM that the wings or planes FRANKLIN REISS, OF COLLINGSWOOD, NEW JERSEY.

TOY AEROPLANE.

Specification 01. Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

Application filed March 27, 1914. Serial No. 827,617.

To all whom it mm concern Be it known t at I, FRANKLIN Rnrss, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Collingswood, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved To Aeroplane, of which the following is a ful clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to games and toys, and has particular reference to a toy having some of the characteristics of a heavierthan-air aeroplane. A

Among the ob'ects of the invention is to provide a toy a apted to be projected into the air either by means of a catapult, crossbow or some other means, and the device being so constructed as to glide (gently to the ground after being so pro ecte Another object of the invention is to provide a device of a simple, cheap and comparatively reliable construction adapted to teach or illustrate the principles of the aeroplane.

A still further object of the invention is to so construct a device of this character are connected to the body of the device in such a manner as to swing on pivots arranged at an angle to each other whereby the wings or planes may lie parallel to the axis of the body when be ing projected and may open out to supporting position when the deviceis gliding toward the ground.

The foregoing and many other objects of the invention will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the drawings forming a part of this specification in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in Which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of my improvement shown in position on a gun or catapult ready to be projected; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the aeroplane 1n projecting position; Fig. 3 1s a transverse sectional detail on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 but with the aeroplane omitted; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the aeroplane in sailing position; Fig. 5 is a side elevation corresponding to Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a detail of the body, the stabilizing member and one of the wing supports, the last mentioned element being shown in the position assumed when the wing is folded.

The several parts of the device may be made of any suitable materials, and the relaed to roll from one tive sizes and proportions, as well as the general design of the mechanism, may be varied to a considerable extent without departing from the spirit of the invention hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I show, by way of illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention, a rigid central body portion 10 having a pointed nose 11 and a rearwardly projecting stem 12. The body is provided with a vertical slot 13 or open space which extends through the same from the top to the bottom, and along the lower portion of the body said open space extends rearwardly as indicated at 13. At the front end of the slot 13 is provided a pocket 14 extending toward the point 11. To the rear end of the stem 12 is connected a tail comprising laterally projecting blades 15 and a vertically projecting blade 16.

At 17 I show a peculiarly constructed stabilizer, the same being shown in the form of a hollow cylinder and mounted for pi"- otal and limited sliding movement in the slot 13 within the body 10. The means for connecting the stabilizer to the body comprises a wire loop 18, the central transverse portion of which cooperates with a guide 19 shown in the form of a wire extending along the body of the stabilizer for approximately one half of its length and thereby forming a slot 19 providing for a longitudinally sliding movement of the stabilizer with respect to the loop 18 and also permitting the stabilizer to rotate through an angle of about 90 degrees within the slot 13, as indicated by comparing Figs. 1 and 5. The front end of the stabilizer is provided with a plug cushion 20 adapted to project into the pocket 14 when the device is being projected. The rear end of the stabilizer at this time lies within the rear extension 13 of the slot, and a pin 21 secured in the rear portion of the body projects into the body of the stabilizer and serves at this time to make the position of the stabilizer more secure and steadier. The connection, however, between the lower or free point of the pin and the stabilizer is, loose so that the stabilizer is free to swing around the axis of the loop 18 as describedat greater length below. A heavy ball 22 is slidably mounted within the stabilizer cylinder and is adaptend thereof to the other or from the cushion 20 at the front end to a plug 23 at the lower end, said plug, however, having a central hole23 therethrough.

At 24 I show a pair of left and right hand wings or planes which, in gliding position, occup substantially) the same plane approximate y horizontal ut with a slight upward inclin'ation toward the front, as shown in Fig. 5. Each of these wings is pivoted on a pivot 25 at its inner end. Said pivot 25 is connected to a wing support 26 made preferably of sheet metal and pro- !vided with a, pair of ears 27 through which the pivot 25 extends. The wing supports 26 are pivoted on a pivot pin 28 which extends transversely through the body 10 and around which the su ports 26 are adapted to rotate in parallel p anes on opposite sides of said body through an angle of about 90 degrees. A stop lug 29 extends laterally from the body and cooperates with the wing support to limit the extent of rotation thereof around the pivot 28. Said lug 29 cooperates with an arm 30 at one end of the movement of the support and with a lug 31 at the other end thereof. Each wing support 26 is furthermore provided with a pair of arms 32 and 33, each having a hole therethrough for the a plication of a cord 34. Said cord passes through said arms and is branched at 34 and connected at its ends to the middle portions of one of the wings. The cord 34 may be continuous from one wing through the arms just described to and through a catch 35 and thence to the opposite wing. Any suitable spring, such as an elastic 36, is connected to the stem 12 of the body as by means of a lug 37 and also to the catch 35, the tendency of the spring being to hold the catch in the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5, causing a draft upon the cords 34 suflicient to swing the plates or supports 26 upwardly and rearwardly around the pivot 28 and causing the wings to be spread into liding position. The catch 35 is adapted, however, to be grasped by the operators fingers and drawn for-- wardly and hooked over a stationary abutment at the rear end of the slot 13, as, for instance, a wire staple 35 and as indicated in Fig. 1, putting the elastic 36 under tension and relieving th tension accordingly upon the cords 34. When this tension on the cords is relieved, the wings drop freely downwardly around the parallel axes 25 and are also free to swing with the supports 26 around the transverse axis 28, into the position shown in Fig. 1. The cord 34 passes transversely through the front portion of the catch 35, or, if separate cords 34 are used, their rear ends will be connected at such point of the catch. As shown in Fig. 2, a sheet metal shell 38 may be provided, if desired, to reinforce the body 10 where the several connections between it and the wings or wing supports are made. Said shell may extend downwardly along the sides of the body adjacent the supports 26, if desired.

A cord 48 is connected to thelow'er p01:

tion of the reinforcement 38 and extends outwardly beneath each w1ng24 where it is branched at 48, serving to limit the upward swing of the wing around the pivot 26 un- "der the tension of the connection 34.

.Havingthus set forth the general description of the mechanism, its method of operation ma be briefly set forth as follows: At 39 show a simple form of-catapult having a handle 40 and a trigger 41 with which trigger coiiperates a slidable carriage 42. A strong elastic 43 is connected to the carriage and tends to project the same forwardly under considerable force along a dovetail groove 44. The carriage may be drawn back to put the elastic 43 under tension, and when so drawn for setting the catapult, the lug 42 of the carriage will snap over the trlgger where it will be held until the trigger is pulled. The carriage is provided with a seat 45 along its upper surface upon which the stabilizer 17 is adapted to be placed when the aeroplane is folded in projecting position, and a pin 46 connected rigidly to the carriage extends forwardly along said, seat through the plug 23 and of such length as to bear snugly against the ball 22 when it is seated against the cushion 20, as shown in Fig. 1. Any suitable portion of the carriage 42 bears snugly also against some portion of the body as, for instance, the shoulder 47 just in front of the front end of the carriage. When the carriage, therefore, is released and projected forwardly under the force of the elastic 43, the body 10 and ball 22 will be projected by direct contact with the carriage. The wings will trail naturally toward the rear, as shown in Fig. 2, and the tail will maintain the device in steady prrjecting form, offering no substantial resistance to the projecting action.

It will be understood that this device will be projected upwardly, either vertically or at an inclination, and while the body and ball are under the projecting influence of the carriage, there will be substantially no relative movement between them. When. however, the speed becomes reduced, due to gravity or the combined action of gravity and air resistance, the ball 22 will tend to roll toward the rear end of the stabilizer 17, and when the device begins to fall the blades 15 of the tail will be certain to cause the point 11 to project downwardly. This action of the body, combined with the rota tion of the stabilizer around the transverse pivot portion of the loop 13, will cause the cushion end 20 of the stabilizer to strike upwardly against the catch 35, releasing it from the abutment 35 and setting the elastic 36 free to spread the wings, as above described. The stabilizer will then hang in the position shown in Fig. 5 and maintain the device in steady sailing or gliding position. The device will come to rest graduall and gently, striking on the point of the b0 y or t e stabilizer member.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the wings 24, when the device is to be projected, rest easily upon a pair of clips or supports 48 extending from the carriage 42. By this means the wings which would otherwise hang downward somewhat by gravity, while the device is about to be projected, will be retained in the position in which they will trail, when the device is being projected under the force of the elastic 43. 1

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent wings to cause them to swing. on their pivots into gliding position.

n a toy aeroplane, the combination with-a ri id body having a vertical slot therein, 0 a pair of wings pivotally connected to the sides of the body and adapted to fold into arallelism therewith and each other, a catc movable along the body to ward and from said slot, means acting on said catch tending to draw it away from the slot, flexible connections. between the wings and said catch whereby the wings are spread into gliding osition when the catch is drawn rearwardly, said catch being ada ted to cotiperate with an abutment at sai slot serving to automatically release said catch, substantially as set forth;

In a device of the. character set forth, the combination of a rigid body having a vertical slot therethrough, a stabilizer in said slot, a catch movable along the body and adapted to engage with the fixed abutment at the rear end of the slot, a spring member connected to the catch and tending to draw it rearwardlyaway from the slot, a air of wings pivotally connected to the si es of the body,.fiexible connections between the wings and said catch whereby the catch serves to spread the wings into gliding position, and means to cause said stabilizing member to move with respect to the body and release said catch when the body changes its inclination.

4. n a toy aeroplane, the combination of a. body having an opening therethrough, a pair of wings movably connected to the sides of the body and adapted to trail rearwardly parallel to each other, means connected to the wings tending to spread the wings apart and hold them in sailing position, and a stabilizing member movably mounted in said body opening and serving during the movement thereof to cause the wing spreading means to become operative. In a toy aeroplane, the combination of a body having a vertical slot therethrough, the body at the front portion of the slot being provided with a pocket communicating with the slot, a pair of wings connected to the sides of the body, a stabilizer member mounted within the slot in said body and adapted to be movedhlongitudinally substantially parallel to the axis of the body and also to swing around a transverse axis in a vertical plane, said stabilizer being adapted to roject into said pocket, sai stabilizer inc uding a weight movable along the main portion thereo to facilitate the rotation thereof. in said vertical plane, and means to project the aeroplane by cooperation with both the stabilizer and the body.

6. In a toy aeroplane, the combination of a body having a vertical slot therethrough and said slot having a rearward extension parallel to the axis of the body, wings and a rudder associated with the body and serv ing to control its movements through the air, and a stabilizer slidably and pivotally connected to said body in the slot, said stabilizer comprising a hollow member adapted to lie parallel to the axis of the body in said rearward extension of the slot and to bear with its front end at the same time snugly against the front portion of the body, and a weight movable within the hollow body from one end to the other, and for the purposes set forth.

7. In a device of the character set forth, the combination with a projecting device including a reciprocating carria e havin a pin extending forwardly paralle to the hue of movement of the carriage, of a body adapted to be supported upon said carriage, a stabilizing member movably connected to the body, said stabilizing member including a hollow member having a closed end, the rear end, however, having .a hole therethrough, a weight movable within the hollow member and adapted tobe held by said pin projecting through the rear end of the hollow member holding the weight against the front end of the member, and a lurality of controlling planes connected to t e body.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' FRANKLIN REISS.

Witnesses:

H. A. CANNON,

P. A. Ems

substantially as t 

